Replenishment Specialist

Takealot.com, a leading South African online retailer, is looking for a highly talented Replenishment Specialist to join our team in Cape Town.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper growth company looking for smart, creative, hardworking people to join us. We offer market related benefits, a great work environment and a promise that you won’t get bored, as long as you are prepared for a challenge and want to build something great.

The successful candidate will possess a passion for data and analysis and have a balance between exceptional analytical skills (understanding the relevance of data and compiling it) and the ability to interpret analysis output (what does it mean and how can it be used to solve real world problems).

The position reports into the Planning Manager.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Conduct demand forecasting and inventory analysis to optimize stock levels and prevent overstock or stockouts.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to ensure smooth operations and timely delivery of products.
• Oversee the restocking process, ensuring timely orders are placed for the replenishable range of products.
• Monitor and react to current trade, making data-driven decisions for maximum sales potential.
• Determine the most effective replenishment strategies for products across various departments and divisions, considering sales forecasts and other relevant factors like promotions or seasonal times of the year.
• Act as the main point of contact for the Retail team in charge of the assigned product range.
• Track and optimize the frequency of replenishments and order cycles to suit the needs of the product range.
• Coordinate with different divisions and fellow supply chain planners to balance inventory levels across Distribution Centers for the products being replenished.
• Conduct weekly analysis and reporting on supplier stockouts and the availability of products within the portfolio giving action plans and expected resolution timings.
• Oversee the key performance indicators (KPIs) for product availability within the designated portfolio and distribution center. Address daily operational challenges that arise within the scope of the product range.
• Manage the operational aspects of the replenishment planning tool.
• Perform system testing for the replenishment planning tool to ensure its effectiveness and reliability and areas of improvement.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, buying, planning and operations, to align supply chain planning with broader company strategies.
• Mentor and support junior supply chain planners in their development and daily operations.
• Analyze supply chain data and performance metrics to identify trends, issues, and opportunities for improvement.
• Stay informed of industry trends and advancements in supply chain management to drive innovation within the company.

Attributes:

• Strong skills in numeracy and analytical reasoning with high proficiency in planning software and tools (e.g., ERP, Excel, forecasting software).
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across different teams and levels of the organization.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet tight deadlines.
• A commitment to staying informed about the latest trends and advancements in supply chain management and e-commerce.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments, fostering a team environment and building strong relationships.
• Experience in mentoring or leading teams, with the ability to inspire and guide junior staff.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and able to adapt to changes in the market or business strategy.
• Knowledge of the unique challenges and opportunities in e-commerce supply chains, returns management, and inventory optimization.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in either Supply Chain Management, Economics, or Advanced Diplomas.
• Experienced in working with multiple stakeholders.
• Purchasing forecasts.
• Month end reporting and data analysis.
• Creating Dashboards.
• At least 5 to 7 years of experience in supply chain planning or a similar role, preferably in a retail environment.

The Environment:

• Takealot.com employees are entrepreneurial and dynamic, smart, customer-centric, fun and have the shared ambition of Takealot.com being the leading e-commerce company in Africa.
• We have fun, work hard, take ownership, work in teams to create solutions, and are always open to direct feedback/new ideas on where we can improve.
• We are short on ego and high on output.
• We are doers and not only thinkers; it’s all in the execution after all.
• We love what we do and what we are creating.

We seek to employ an Extra Ordinary Mind who:

• is respectful but forthright.
• is an expert at doing, who can not only design but also execute.
• is analytical, able to use data to make decisions.
• is competitive, self-directed and strives to be the BEST (GREAT requires a lot of work and does not only happen during business hours).
• is passionate about the potential of e-commerce and delivering a world-class customer experience.
• is entrepreneurial, thrives under change and accepts it is a constant and always looks for solutions to do something better and faster.
• is business SMART, able to think about problems from a business perspective using technical and product input.
• is curious and challenges the status quo.
• is innovative and enjoys iteration.
• is collaborative.
• will be at the cutting edge of developing new concepts for Takealot.com.
• thinks like an owner of the business.
• is SMART, has INTEGRITY and is HARD WORKING.

If you meet the above you are an Extraordinary Mind, so come and join us!

Takealot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants from the previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities will be given preference.